Lever mechanism for switches.



J. G. LAVENDER & G. NICKELS.'

LEVER MECHANISM FOR SWITCHES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20. 1914.

Patented Oct. 26, 1915.

g nzka g al'lfozwew lUNTTlEM STATES FATE 1 TFE.

JOHN GLEATON LAVENDER AND GRIFFIN NICKELS, OF COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA.

LEVER MECHANISM FOR SWITCHES.

Application filed June 20, 1914.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that we, J OHN G. LAVENDER and GRIFFIN NICKELS, citizens of the United States, residing at Columbia, in the county of Richland and State of South Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lever Mechanism for Switches; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in switch throwing apparatus and comprises a simple and eflicient mechanism of this nature so constructed that the switch may be thrown and locked by the manipulation of a single handle.

The invention comprises various details of construction, combinations and arrange ments of parts which will be hereinafter fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings and then specifically defined in the appended claim.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a switch closed, showing the handle and double ended pawl in looking relation with a notch-in a standard, and Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the switch open and the double ended pawl locked in a different notch of the standard.

Reference now being had to the details of the drawings by letter, A and A" designate the main tracks of a railway, one of said rails A forming a siding rail D, and B designates a switch rail and E a movable switch point. Said rails B and E are connected to the bar F which in turn has pivotal connection with the rod H pivotally connected to the bell crank K, which is mounted upon the standard N rising from the base N. A second bell crank, designated by letter O, is pivotally mounted upon a pivot O and has an arm 0 which is pivotally connected by a link to the lever K and a finger 0 projects from the lever O and extends through an aperture L formed in a laterally projecting lug upon the movable bar Q which has slots Q, therein for the reception of the pins Q fastened to the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented @ct. 26, 119i 5.

Serial No. 846,341.

standard and which cooperate with the slots to guide the bar Q in its longitudinal movements.

Mounted in the laterally projecting bracket arms R upon the standard is a cylindrical shell S, having a spiral groove S therein, and T is a signal standard keyed within said shell and having wings T at its upper end. The upper portion of said bar has a laterally eXtending finger J which engages the spiral groove S and serves, as the plate is moved up and down, to impart a back and forth rotary movement to the shaft carrying the signal blades T.

The upper end of the angle lever O is apertured for the reception of a pin I which projects from the face of the handle M which has two pawls M and M projecting from one end thereof, the pawl M being adapted, when the lever O is thrown to the position shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, to engage a notch X formed in the edge of the lateral projection N of the standard, to holdthe lever 0 locked and, when the lever O is thrown to its other limit to hold the switch closed, the pawl M is adapted to engage the notch X in the manner shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. Holes V are formed in said lateral projection N in one or the other of which a tongued padlock may be passed to hold either one or the other of the pawls in a locked relation with the notch.

In operation, assuming the switch to be closed as shown in Fig. 2 and it is desired to open the switch, the operator by gripping the handle and throwing the same away from the standard may cause the pawl M to be released from the notch X, after which a further outer throw of said handle will cause the lever O to tilt upon its pivot and the switch points thrown to open position and the pawl M engaging the notch X, will hold the switch open. A reverse movement of the handle carrying said pawls will first release the pawl M from the notch X and the lever 0 may be moved back to its normal position, closing the switch and the pawl M engaging the notch X. By passing the tongue of a padlock through one or the other of the apertures in the lateral projection N the switch may be securely locked in an open or closed relation, as may be desired.

What we claim to be new is A lever and standard upon which the same is pivotally mounted said standard having a laterally extending arm notched upon its under edge, the upper end of the lever terminating below and adapted to move adjacent to the notched edge of the arm, a handle pivoted to the upper end of the lever and having an anchor-shaped end forming pawls and adapted to engage one or the other of said notches to hold the lever in an adjusted position, the shank portion of the handle having an offset and a pin passing through an aperture in said arm and adapted to hold the handle and lever in an adjusted position when the handle is at an angle to the arm of the lever 15 to which it is pivoted.

In testimony whereof we hereunto afiix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN GLEATON LAVENDER. GRIFFIN NIGKELS.

Witnesses S. H. BEASLY, W. R. VVI LIAMsON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. 0'. 

